Blues scale, part 1

Keyboard Shortcuts

In part 1 of this lesson, Mike goes over the blues scale in this lesson. He describes the blues as a feeling that we all have at one point or another throughout life and this makes blues music extremely relatable. He then gives many examples of licks using the blues scales to help illustrate the point to the students.

- Let's talk about the blues.…The blues.…I woke up this morning, we all woke up this morning.…That is the blues and everybody has had them.…Blues is really a style of music,…but it's also an attitude and it's an…emotional feeling as much as it is…a technical thing, as much as it is a scale…or a set of chords.…You can play the blues just by playing one chord,…(blues music)…and howling.…

Moaning your problems, whatever it is.…♫ There's too many people on the road today…♫ My girlfriend left me ♫ (music)…And that is the blues, we all know the blues.…Finding it, to me it's all about connecting…your melodic mind to the instrument,…and I'd love to start by just…simply playing an open G string (blues music)…and doing some call in response.…You answer me. (blues music and singing)…Now you play that.…

(blues music and singing)…Now you play that.…(blues music and singing)…We're gonna work our way up the finger board.…(blues music and singing)…Just imagine somebody's droning a low G under all that.…(blues music and singing)…

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Released

10/14/2016

Take mandolin lessons online and learn at your own pace. Grammy nominee Mike Marshall teaches the intermediate concepts that will take your mandolin skills to the next level. Get practice exercises to stay motivated and increase your speed and dexterity, and build your repertoire of solo and kickoff material. Mike starts the course with some techniques for keeping your instrument in tip-top shape, including changing the strings and setting the action (aka fret spacing). Then he segues into some intermediate music theory—keeping things fun and practical by showing examples in action. Next, learn how to play some intermediate mandolin tunes, including blues licks and scales, and practice some finger buster exercises to help refine your finger positioning, stamina, and reach.

This course is part two of the Mandolin Lessons series, which includes hundreds of lessons, exclusive performances, and special guest interviews. Make sure to check out the exercise files for downloadable tab, audio samples, and other study materials.

Note: This course was created and produced by ArtistWorks. We are honored to host this training in our library.